It is often desirable to accelerate the combustion process of a fire (e.g., when lighting the fire). For example, accelerating a fire may be desired in the context of starting a charcoal grill, fireplace, wood-stove, campfire, or other fire. Blowing air on a fire is an established method of increasing the rate of combustion in that the amount of available oxygen supplied to the burning fuel is increased. For example, a traditional fireplace tool, though less frequently seen today, is a simple “bellows” that is used to direct air towards burning tinder while starting a fireplace fire. However, traditional bellows are bulky, require two hands to operate, and blow air in low volume, high velocity spurts. This may result in extinguishing any fire that has been established or may dangerously blow ash or embers from the fire.
One common example of where it is desirable to increase the rate of combustion of a fire is during the lighting of a charcoal grill. Some individuals who would otherwise like to enjoy the taste of food cooked on a charcoal grill may use gas grills (e.g., propane grills) instead of a charcoal grill because of the difficulty and time requirements of cooking on charcoal. For example, it may take too long to establish the coals of a charcoal fire for cooking. Some methods have been proposed to speed the lighting of charcoal, such as, for example, starter chimneys, electric heaters, and the use of blowers that are not specifically designed for operation to aid in combustion (e.g., hairdryers and the like). However, each of the foregoing fails to provide a simple, safe, and effective method for assisting in the lighting of a fire. Accordingly, those individuals that would otherwise enjoy the use of a charcoal grill turn to other cooking methods, such as propane grills, due to the hassle of lighting charcoal grills.